According to my pregnancy calendar, I have officially entered my 7th month of pregnancy, and with it the third and thankfully final trimester. Homestretch, baby! Unfortunately, I feel like these last three months are going to creep by slowly, like the last 6 miles of a marathon. Let the real race begin!

Baby is now the size of: A head of cauliflower. We had an appointment today with the doctor and were informed that the baby is measuring 29 weeks, which suggests that the baby is going to be long. Long is ok, just please don’t be too wide.

Total weight gain: 20 pounds

Maternity clothes / preferred attire: I live in dresses, maxi skirts, and my SOAS shorts these days. I prefer clothing that is flowy and allows my body to breathe.

Sleep: I’ve been sleeping really well lately. We open our windows at night allowing the cool air to circulate throughout the bedroom. I couldn’t do it without my snoogle. That thing is as good as gold (or, as good as my amazing tri bike).

Cravings and favorite foods: Cereal, yogurt, and chicken.

Food aversions: Pepper and other spices. I’m really sensitive to pepper right now – keep it away!

Exercise: This week I enjoyed a combination of biking, hiking, and running. My husband and I took another trip up to the mountains last week after work, and did a nice and easy hike around Todd Lake. There were wild flowers everywhere and frogs jumping about. It was the first time I had been up there during the evening hours, and it was Justin’s first time without six feet of snow covering everything.

Last week, my mom and I spent an afternoon biking from Lava Lands to and around Sunriver for a couple hours, stopping for lunch along the way to refuel and hydrate. I thought the ride would be on the easy side since we were riding on fairly flat terrain and pavement, but boy was I wrong. It was probably one of the hardest workouts I’ve done during the second trimester and I BARELY made it back to the car. Pushing myself on a mountain bike is much different than a road bike — lesson learned.

Over the weekend Justin and I went up to Devil’s Lake and did a 1700ft hike to Moraine Lake, located near the base of South Sister. The 5.5 mile round-trip route was beautiful and we left early enough to avoid the crowds and heat. It was a little chilly when we left Bend, and we nearly froze with the top down in the Jeep and the thermometer reading 40 degrees at the trailhead.

We scoped out a few beautiful campsites as well, and will likely have one last camping adventure before the baby arrives. That is, if I can take my snoogle with me. ☺ Yes, my husband likes to test his pain threshold by walking around in ice cold lakes.

Mood: Fairly good. Overall, I’m just ready to be done with pregnancy.

Symptoms: General body achiness and back pain.

Missing: Triathlon. Racing. It hit me hard this week.

Best moments this week: Hiking with Justin and spending time with my mom. Any time I am doing something active and outside, I would consider it to be a “best moment.”

Interesting Pregnancy Moments: The other day when Justin and I were hiking down from Moraine Lake, which shares a portion of the trail with the South Sister (elevation 10,358′) climber’s route, we passed a couple of guys heading the other direction who asked if we had just “summited.” You know you live in a recreational mecca when someone naturally assumes that a 7-month pregnant woman just climbed 5,000 vertical feet and made the 12 mile round-trip trek up and down the mountain. I might be trying to stay active during pregnancy, but that’s a little crazy.

Best Quote: Me: “Wow, this book has an entire chapter about living with a pregnant wife.” Justin: “Just one chapter?”

Now that it is summer and I have a small break from classes, I am hoping to do a lot more reading in prep for the baby’s arrival. I need all the help I can get. Apparently, my husband needs more help. 😉 This also got me thinking, wouldn’t it be great if we could switch places with our husbands for just a day? Not that I want to see a pregnant version of Justin or anything like that, but it would be nice for him to better understand what I am going through each day.

Worst moments this week: After realizing that my sporty one-piece bathing suits no longer fit me, I went out on Tuesday in search of a two-piece that I can wear for the rest of my pregnancy. I really want to start building some mileage in the pool this summer. Let’s just say that trying on bathing suits while 7 months pregnant is not a mood-booster. I cried in two different dressing rooms, but finally settled on a suit that was at least comfortable and semi-cute. I have to constantly remind myself that I am loaning out my body and growing a life inside of me – more on my body image struggles later.

Buying: A bathing suit. It’s time to start swimming again. No excuses. Yesterday was my first time back in the water since finding out I was pregnant. More on that later.

Dreaming About: Life once the baby is here. Although nothing could prepare me for what’s to come, I feel ready to embrace change and a new chapter.

How is it already week 26? Last week felt like molasses, but this week is flying by. I guess that’s what happens when it is finals week and you are up to your nose in grading. I think distractions during pregnancy make the time go by easier, which I do not mind at all. Now if I could only press a magic button that would warp me to 40 weeks that would be great.

I am looking forward to the little break from work before summer term begins. I have several blog posts in the works, but have been unable to get them posted because of my already extended computer time. I teach a couple of advanced classes that have a lot of papers and detailed grading, so when I finally have “off” time, I like to step away from the computer. At least I have a pregnancy update ready to go!

Baby is now the size of: A head of lettuce.

Total weight gain: Did not weigh myself. Probably a good thing because I feel huge.

Maternity clothes / preferred attire: I took a trip to Motherhood maternity late last week and purchased a selection of fun dresses and tops to keep me looking cute throughout the summer. It was a confidence boost for sure.

Sleep: A little better than last week. I was somehow blessed with a FULL night of sleep on Monday night and did not wake up once – not even to pee – until the alarm went off. I bounced out of bed feeling as though I had won the sleep lottery. The other nights, not so much.

Cravings and favorite foods: Anything COLD. Smoothies, froyo, yogurt, ice… if it’s cold, I will eat it. We had a heat wave hit Central Oregon this past week and being pregnant only magnifies this. I am sweating in places I don’t normally sweat.

Food aversions: Zydeco. This is one of my favorite restaurants in Bend but for some reason I just can’t stomach their food during pregnancy. On Friday night my husband and I had dinner there with a few of his clients and roughly 30 minutes after we were finished eating, I had to excuse myself and run to the ladies room. I think it’s the truffle oil. No more fancy restaurants for me!

Exercise: Aside from moderate running, I have really been enjoying hiking and taking trips up to the mountains. Perhaps it is because the temperatures are a little cooler and the fresh air makes me feel good. I feel like a little pregnant adventurer!

This past weekend, Justin and I did a 4-mile round trip hike up Tumalo Mountain. We had hiked this on snowshoes during the winter months, but had never made the ascent during the summer. I new it would be a climb, but a shorter one that I could handle.

Hiking definitely takes a toll in numerous ways. Going up I could feel the burn in my lungs and my heart was pumping hard! We stopped a couple of times to hydrate, enjoy the views, and pee. Because I always have to pee. It was a 1700ft elevation gain in 1.6 miles, so I was pleased that I made it to the top.

Going down was actually more difficult than going up because of the impact on my body. The extra weight of a baby and changes in my body make me a little clumsy, more prone to falling (I only fell once), and sore.

Guess what?!? I also got to ride my mountain bike! My friend Nicole had a long training run on Saturday, so I thought I would ride alongside her and keep her company. I wasn’t pedaling hard or fast (ok, maybe up a couple of hills) but it felt AMAZING to be on a bike. Just to be spinning my legs. I was so happy. Hopefully I can continue riding outside on my mountain bike over the summer, as it does not have clipless pedals and is safer for me!

Symptoms: General body achiness.

Missing: High levels of energy.

Mood: My spirits have been pretty high this week after last week’s melt down. I didn’t cry once… well, until my husband sent me this video. Sabotager!!! Tissues are mandatory.

Best moments this week: Talking with our families and preparing for multiple visits once the baby is here. I love that everyone is excited and ready to welcome a new edition. The baby is already spoiled with love.

Getting a text message from my girlfriend, Jessica, who is helping my mom plan my baby shower. She is getting ready to mail out invites, which makes me excited to see many beautiful faces in July.

Interesting Pregnancy Moments: I think I came to the realization that my pregnant body and mind cannot handle social events that linger into the later evening hours. By the time 8pm rolls around, I want to be plopped down on my couch in my cozies. I definitely have twice as much energy in the morning/afternoon than I do in the evening.

Best Quote: “Did you feel that?” – me, “Yeah, it felt like a left right left combo.” – Justin.

Justin and I sit around in the evenings and watch/feel the baby kick. Yes, this has become our entertainment. We’ve also been taking a lot of evening walks, enjoying the sunsets.

Worst moments this week: Getting sick while at dinner on Friday.

Buying: Maternity clothes. Décor for the house. It’s almost ready for show-and-tell via the blog. ☺

This week marks the 25-mile mark of a 40-mile run. I can’t help but relate my pregnancy thus far to a very long and very slow race. Although I am getting closer, I definitely experienced a lot of mental struggles this week in preparing myself for the long journey ahead. With “only” 15 weeks left in my pregnancy, I am starting to think about how I am going to survive the uncomfortable weeks ahead as I grow larger and slower.

Baby is now the size of: A cauliflower. He weighs somewhere around 1.5-2.5lbs (depending on the source).

Total weight gain: Did not weigh myself.

Maternity clothes / preferred attire: I am really fighting the battle of spending money on maternity clothes. I have a couple of formal/business events coming up and I’m not quite sure what to wear. The last thing I want to do is spend money on a dress that I will only wear once or twice, but we’ll see. Can’t I just wear my SOAS shorts and sparkly slippers?

Sleep: This was not the best week of sleep. I am still falling asleep quickly, but the combination of outrageous dreams, uncomfortable positions, and the frequent need to pee just doesn’t allow me to sleep peacefully throughout the night. The cat isn’t helping much either, as he seems to have become nocturnal since we moved into the new house.

Cravings and favorite foods: Justin’s homemade fish/chicken/insert-protein-here tacos are pretty amazing. I could eat these on a daily basis. I’ve also been craving donuts (still) and eating a lot of cottage cheese, cereal, yogurt and grapes.

Food aversions: None.

Exercise: I am still trying to run, hike, and walk as much as possible, but the overall volume is starting to decrease. My longest run this week was 6 miles and I felt as though I had powered through a difficult half marathon by the time I was finished. Thank goodness for wonderful friends who keep me going!

My husband has been really supportive as well and took me on a great hike up in the Cascades near Devil’s Lake and Hosmer Lake. I’d say we spent about three hours hiking on Saturday morning exploring new trails around the area.

The weather has been beautiful lately and we had a good mix of cloud cover and sun. By the time we finished, temperatures were hovering around 73 degrees and blue skies took over the mountainous region. It’s amazing how quickly conditions change around here.

Justin and I have also been running a lot together around our new neighborhood. We have discovered a few loops that average around 4-5 miles, which is perfect for me. I’m not sure that my body can withstand anything beyond 6-8 miles right now, unless I have a really “good” day. A lot of ligament pain and tightness takes over my belly and it becomes uncomfortable, particularly after I complete the run.

Mood: I’ll be honest… I’m kind of a hot mess right now. Physically I must be having one of the easiest pregnancies ever, but emotionally I am all over the place. Hormones. Gah!!! Now that vacation is over and things are settling around the house, I have a lot more time to think about and prepare for baby. It’s a bit overwhelming and even picking out what color/pattern of Pack ‘N Play I should add to my baby registry makes me tear up. So many decisions.

Best moments this week: Hiking and exploring up in the mountains. Discovering a new trail system about 10 minutes from my house and running under “an angry sky” with my friend Karly. I honestly feel best when I am outside, running, hiking, or doing something active.

Interesting Pregnancy Moments: I’m beginning to think my brain and clumsiness are preparing me for life with a child. I find myself spilling and creating unnecessary messes at the most random times. For example, I will be holding my cup in the kitchen and will all of a sudden knock it over. Instead of cleaning it up right away, I get really frustrated and want to kick myself for being clumsy. The other day I also tried to walk through a door that slides open. Nope, I guess I don’t have superhero powers.

Best Quote: “I just need to cry.” I drove to my husband’s work and sat in the driver’s seat crying, for no reason at all, while he sat in the passengers seat trying to console me. My poor husband. Later that day when he came home from work, he had a beautiful bouquet of flowers and sweet card for me. Tears be gone!!!

P.S. I can’t help but laugh at myself after the fact. Hopefully someday I will read back through all of these “moments” and laugh.

Second Best Quote: “Some days are going to suck. Some days we will fail at parenting. But they will suck and we will fail together.” These were a few of the words my husband wrote in the card he gave me after my meltdown, in an effort to remind me to take things in stride and that a bad day or a bad experience is not the end of the world.

Worst moments this week: Crying for no apparent reason is pretty bad. Also, getting the straight truth about labor and delivery from my friend Bri, who has a four week old baby (her second) and isn’t afraid to tell it like it really is.

Buying: I started our gift registry and went furniture shopping with my mom yesterday. My husband and I finally settled on a nursery set from franklin & ben that we both love. Now that we have the furniture picked out, it’s time to make decisions about colors and themes. Right now we are leaning toward a travel/adventure/outdoorsy theme…. Any suggestions?

Dreaming About: Life once our little guy makes his big (well, hopefully small) debut into this world. Oh how life is going to change!

It feels so good to be back from vacation and all moved in to our new house. My husband and I have been busy bees getting settled, unpacking boxes, and buying furniture and décor. We sold a lot of the furniture from our last house since it didn’t really fit with the style of our new house, so it has been fun to have a blank canvas to work with. Only a few little things left on our list and we will be good to go! My little bumble bee has been contributing in his own way by providing plenty of kicks and reminders that he is on the way!

Baby is now the size of: A 1.5lb cantaloupe.

Total weight gain: I was up 15lbs at this week’s doctor appointment.

Maternity clothes / preferred attire: When I am not lounging around the house in sweats and cozies, you can find me in a maxi skirt. I’m all about the maxi skirt.

Sleep: I’ve been falling asleep really quickly (less than 30 seconds) every night, but for some reason both my husband and I keep waking up around 5/5:30 every morning. I’m not sure if our sleep is still thrown off from vacation or what, but we can’t seem to sleep until the alarm goes off at 6:15!

I continue to have the most outrageous dreams I have ever had in my life. Every morning I wake up vividly remembering my dreams. There was one dream in particular where Justin got a tattoo of a huge gun on his right shoulder and I was really upset that he would do something like that without consulting me first. I woke up with tears in my eyes because I was so mad. Thankfully, it was only a dream.

Cravings and favorite foods: I have been eating a lot of grapes mixed with cottage cheese. SO yummy!!! And Justin re-created my favorite fish tacos from Isla Holbox on Tuesday night, which made me (and the baby) happy!

Food aversions: None.

Exercise: A mix of walking and running. We were pretty consumed with settling in after vacation and getting stuff done around the house, so my exercise consisted of hours and hours of unpacking boxes and moving stuff around the house. Justin and I also went for a run in the new neighborhood on one of the trails that lead out to Shevlin Park. I could get used to this view.

Mood: Positive, for the most part. I think there were some overwhelming moments after returning home from vacation, but for the most part I am feeling pretty good!

Symptoms: None!!! That’s a first.

Missing: My bike. My doctor advised that I not ride anymore due to the risk of falling. I can still jump on my mountain bike and use regular pedals, but all riding in clipless pedals needs to be done on a trainer. A summer in Bend without my bike is going to be tough. I already broke down and cried when I drove by a cyclist. Thank goodness that has only happened once, because there are A LOT of cyclists in Bend and I would be crying constantly if I broke down every time I passed one!

Worst moments this week: None that I can think of. Well, I might have been a little impatient with Justin’s driving at one point…nothing like a back seat driver, especially a pregnant back seat driver!

Best moments this week: Settling into our new house! Fish tacos! Talking with one of my best girlfriends about the baby shower… let the planning begin!!! So many exclamation points!!!

Interesting Pregnancy Moments: I swear I get medical student syndrome every time I walk away from a doctor’s appointment. During our visit this past Friday, my doctor told me to be mindful of pre-term labor contractions and explained to me what they would feel like. As soon as we left, I was paranoid and was certain that every kick, cramp, ache, or tightness in my abdomen was a labor contraction. Haha. They weren’t. During my appointment prior, before leaving on vacation, he educated me about blood clots and the increased risk of getting them during travel. Again, I left the appointment and started feeling achiness in my leg, paranoid that it was a blood clot. For some reason, my mind becomes consumed by things that could go wrong when I first learn about them. I need to stop Googling everything. And take a chill pill.

Best Quote: “There better be a television in the delivery room.” That was my response when I found out the Seattle Seahawks first two games of the season are on Sept. 13 and Sept. 20, and we are due right in between on Sept. 15. I do not want to miss watching a game. And for that matter, I also hope they have wifi so I can keep tabs on my fantasy football team as well. I have high expectations for my team, Victorious Secret, this year. Girl takes her football seriously.

Buying: We haven’t bought anything baby related, but I DID finally start putting together our baby registry. I am using myregistry.com, which is awesome because you can post items from any store/site online all in one place. Now it’s just a matter of figuring out what we need. Abby sent me an amazing detailed list of items that she used for her registry, and my sister-in-law Jill and step-sister Katie have both been really helpful too!

And Justin was like a little kid on Christmas morning after we bought a new gas powered blower and a trimmer to help him keep our little half-acre of Bend looking good!

Justin and I returned from Mexico late last night and I have A LOT of catching up to do in the blogging world. This past month has been a whirlwind. Would you believe me if I said that I haven’t eaten a homemade meal since APRIL 28? That’s over three weeks, folks. Let’s just say I am ready to get back into a routine and enjoy one of my husband’s delicious home cooked meals. Between trips to St. George and Mexico, and moving into our new house the last month has been fun, but I’m looking forward to feeling a little more settled and having a little more normalcy around here. Meanwhile, there have been lots of changes in the bump world!!!

Baby is now the size of: We went from a spaghetti squash in week 22 to a mango in week 23. He is over 11 inches long and weighs more than a pound.

Total weight gain: Roughly 14 pounds.

Sleep: Sleep is becoming more of a struggle as I grow larger. Thank goodness for my wonderful snoogle. I have a feeling I will be curling up with it for the rest of this pregnancy. That and about ten pillows. Pillows are my friends. Don’t even get me started on the dreams I am having…

Maternity clothes / preferred attire: I am proudly sporting maternity jeans, tops, and dresses. A lot of my dresses will work pre and post pregnancy, at least at this point in my pregnancy. It was nice to wear flowy dresses, skirts, tops, and shorts while on vacation. Looking forward to summer in Bend.

Right now I am feeling very thankful for my SOAS running shorts and tanks. The wide elastic band on the shorts is super comfortable and stretches nicely below my baby bump. Every pregnant runner, hiker, and walker should invest in a pair of these shorts – they are going to get me through the summer months while helping me feel cute and stylish at the same time.

Symptoms: Week 22 was not a pretty week for my body. I caught some kind of bug going around and was really sick for five days – nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, acid reflux, upset tummy – the works. The timing was horrible during our move, but at least the symptoms mostly cleared up before leaving for Mexico.

With the baby growing at speeds I can hardly comprehend, I feel like my stomach and everything surrounding it will not be the same for a long time.

Cravings and favorite foods: Ugh. Food was a real struggle while I was sick. I literally could NOT stomach 99.9% of food and had to limit myself to jello, pudding, plain chicken, and apple juice for a few days. The first few days in Mexico were touch and go, and I ate a lot of fruit and foods that were simple and easy. Thank goodness I started feeling better in Mexico because the food was amazing and authentic!

Food aversions: Almost everything for a few days. Red sauces, tomato based anything, and heavy creams are still no bueno. My husband was such a sport during our trip and always switched dishes with me if he had ordered something I could stomach better than my own order.

Exercise: Exercise was pretty minimal in week 22 because of moving and being sick. I felt like moving and unpacking boxes over the course of a couple days was exercise enough! Amazingly, I was able to run almost every day in Mexico. My husband and I found a great route along the beach from our hotel, would get up early enough to avoid the heat (relatively speaking), and were able to run six of the eight days we were there.

Mood: A little fragile and all over the place. But my life has been far from normal over the past two weeks!

Margaritas and my normal energy levels while we were in Mexico. The heat really drained me and I had to dig deep to find the energy to walk around and do the things I wanted to do. My mind want to do way more than my body can handle right now.

Best moments: The baby has been way more active than normal – or perhaps I am just feeling him more. I love all of the kicks and wiggles at various times of the day. When Justin and I were on the plane, he was moving so much that I had Justin put his hand on my belly so he could potentially feel the baby move. Kick kick kick!!! Justin got to feel him move for the first time. It melted my heart. We can now SEE him move as well.

Arriving in Mexico and stepping foot on Isla Holbox for the first time. It was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. Stay tuned for a detailed post about our trip!

Worst moments: Being sick. It was honestly THE WORST. My heart goes out to all of those mamas who struggle with morning sickness.

Interesting pregnancy moments: On Mother’s Day, it was like I had an emotional breakthrough and the realization that I am going to be a mom finally sunk in. My husband gave me a card from both him and the baby (which made me BAWL), my mom came over and gave me sparkly slippers (the best), and I had the most delicious blueberry iced donut in the world. It was a wonderful day.

Best Quote: “It feels like he is riding a bicycle.” – Justin, when feeling the baby move one night when we were lying in bed.

Buying: Nothing. But now that we are back, let the nursery planning, designing, and shopping begin!!!

Dreaming About: Honestly, these past two weeks I haven’t been in a future state of mind. It was all about being in the present, moving into our new home, and enjoying our last trip as a childless family. I guess you could say I was living my dreams. ☺

These past few weeks have been insanely busy, and as a result I’m a little behind on my weekly preggo updates. With a trip to St. George last week, moving into our new house over the past few days, packing for our trip to Mexico, and trying to get ahead at work before we leave town, I’ve had little time to sit at my computer and blog. But the good news is that we are officially moved in to our new house, and I could not be more excited to start a new chapter of my life.

Baby is now the size of: We went from a banana in week 20 to a carrot in week 21. He is quickly approaching a pound, and it shows!

Total weight gain: When I went in for my ~20 week check-up, the doctor said that I had gained 10 pounds. Right on track for a 25-30lb total weight gain. Very healthy and happy!

Maternity clothes / preferred attire: I finally received and wore my first pair of maternity jeans from Macys. I had ordered several different pairs and chose to keep the Pea in the Pod Maternity Skinny Jeans. Although it took a moment to get used to the stretchy band that covers my stomach, they are super comfortable.

The temperature has finally been warm enough to wear maxi skirts, which I love! I also bought several belly-friendly dresses at Ross for our trip to Mexico. I swear I can purchase an entire new wardrobe at Ross for $100. That is definitely the way to go when pregnant. It’s all about color and fun patterns for this mom-to-be!

I am really not a fan of the maternity shorts, so I ended up buying some regular shorts a couple sizes larger than I would normally wear. They are loose around my lower belly and are much more flattering than maternity shorts – at least on me. A lot of my tanks and tops still fit nicely as well.

Sleep: Every night varies, but overall sleep has been good. I have noticed a lot more soreness from lying on my left side all night every night. It would sure be nice to switch it up. My dreams have been horrible lately. Two nights ago I had a dream that no one showed up for my baby shower and I was devastated. Sad, huh? I’ve had a few others that are even worse. Go away bad dreams!

Cravings and favorite foods: I haven’t been craving anything specific and find myself feeling full a lot. Food isn’t that exciting when you always feel full.

Food aversions: None. Okay, maybe crab-cakes.

Exercise: As many of you know, I finished my first preggo half marathon over a week ago. You can read about it here.

I’ve been out of a real routine with everything going on in my life right now. A little running here, a little hiking there, but nothing super strenuous. I’m hoping that once we get settled into our new home, I can get back into a normal routine. While I will not be exercising a lot in Mexico, I do plan on running on the beach and swimming in the ocean. We are staying on the small island of Isla Holbox, so my options are limited.

Mood: Generally happy with a few bouts of anxiety. Every once in a while reality will strike that this is REALLY happening and my life is going to change in significant ways. It’s exciting and scary all at the same time. I’m really excited about our new home too!

Symptoms: A lot of bloating, gas, acid reflux, and feeling full. I’ve also had a lot of back pain.

Missing: A cold adult beverage, especially in the heat of St. George. Triathlon!

Worst moments: I admittedly had a little breakdown in the dressing room at Ross when I came to the realization that things did not “fit” as they normally would. After a quick little pep talk during which I reminded myself that there is a precious life inside me, this is only temporary, and I should embrace it, that was the end of that meltdown.

Best moments: Crossing the finish line pregnant at the Bend Half Marathon and doing so with a negative split. It was a pretty solid race for me and I felt great.

The entire trip to St. George and spending time with friends.

Moving into our new house. It is absolutely gorgeous and the location in Bend could not be better. The sellers did an amazing job of making sure everything was clean and made us feel at home by leaving behind a small “welcome” gift. They even included non-alcoholic sparkling cider for us! ☺

Interesting Pregnancy Moments: For some reason, I continue to have this nagging discomfort under my right rib. It feels like the baby has his leg lodged into my rib, but I know he is nowhere near the size to do that. Is this normal?

Best Quote: “Whoa, he really sprouted!!!” – Justin, when seeing me after six days apart while I was in St. George this past week.

Buying: Clothing for our trip to Mexico and summer.

Dreaming About: Unpacking in our new house and adjusting to a completely new lifestyle on the west side of Bend. I am also looking forward to shopping for and working on the nursery when we get back from Mexico.

I can’t believe I am almost halfway there! It feels like the “real” part of pregnancy has just started for me as I am now showing more and am thinking more about baby stuff. Birth. Life insurance. Baby shower. Nursery. Registry. Health insurance. Daycare. Diapers. It’s all starting to consume my mind.

Baby is now the size of: Ladies and gentlemen, we now have a LARGE heirloom tomato!!!

Total weight gain: Have not weighed myself. But I do know that the baby weighs roughly 10oz, according to the ultrasound technician.

Maternity clothes / preferred attire: I am being really stubborn about the clothing situation right now. I just can’t part with my skinny jeans and have now started using a hair band to help them fit. Works like a charm. I ordered a bunch of pants online and will officially be making the switch next week. I say that now…

Sleep: This was a pretty solid week of sleep. Everyone keeps saying “bank your sleep now” so I guess I am taking their advice, averaging 8 hours a night. Oh, and my dreams have been wild!!! I just want to keep dreaming to find out what happens next!

Cravings and favorite foods: This week I was all about chocolate protein smoothies with banana and peanut butter. I also ate a lot of soup. My tooth was in recovery mode after the root canal, so I really had no desire to eat solid or hard foods. Yogurt, oatmeal, smoothies, and soup were on the menu this week! And maybe a little bit of ice cream too.

Food aversions: Anything solid. Crab cakes.

Exercise: Running was touch and go this week. I attempted short run the day after my root canal and had to call it quits after 3 miles because my tooth was throbbing. Thankfully I did a 9-mile run on Sunday and felt great. I definitely need more time to recover in between runs, and have cut back to four runs a week. I am really looking forward to my half marathon this weekend!

On Friday, I was able to get out on my bike for 90 minutes. It was the first time that I was noticeably uncomfortable in the aero position due to pressure on the belly and had to spend more time upright on the horns. I am not about to garage my beautiful Cervelo quite yet (that will be a sad day), and much prefer it to my road bike, so it looks like I’ll be riding the horns for a while.

I have also been walking a lot more too. My husband and I took a stroll through Shevlin Park over the weekend and I suddenly remembered how much different walking is from running. I think I’m out of walking shape!

Mood: Happy and grateful. This baby is changing my life in so many wonderful ways. I haven’t been this happy in a long time. My perspectives on life, the world, little things are all changing. I must be experiencing a lot of “positive” hormones right now. ☺

Symptoms: Feeling huge. Whoa! I’ve also noticed that I move around a little more slowly and have to ease into any change of positions, especially getting into and out of the Jeep. I also need a lot more time for recovery after my workouts. They sure do take a toll on me!

Missing: Hmmm, really nothing this week. I had one of my favorite salads that normally comes with feta cheese for dinner on Monday and had to ask for no cheese. That was kind of sad.

Worst moments this week: The aftermath of my root canal. Otherwise, it was a great week.

Best moments this week: On Monday we had a full anatomy ultrasound and spent an hour looking over every inch of our beautiful boy! He was waving at us a lot. I loved having Justin and my mom there to share in the experience. His organs are developing perfectly and he is right where he should be in size.

I’m starting to feel very subtle flutters!!! He is a very active baby (there must be a treadmill in there or something) so I get little tickles all day long. I can’t believe how many photos we already have of our little guy.

Interesting Pregnancy Moments: If there was a prize for absent mindedness during pregnancy, I’m pretty sure I would take home the gold medal. This week found me putting the dishes away…in the refrigerator, putting the ice cream in the cupboard instead of the freezer, and putting toothpaste on my hair brush. At least my hair should smell minty fresh now, right?

Best Quote: “I think we’re having a Twilight baby” – me

I seriously feel as though I woke up one morning this week and my belly had instantly doubled in size.

Buying: I have been in a really frugal mood lately and haven’t felt like spending money. On Tuesday, after wearing a pair of capris unbuttoned to a movie, I decided it was time to invest in a pair of maternity jeans. I ordered five different pairs from Macys in hopes that one will work. I only need one pair with summer just around the corner.

By the way, my husband and I saw The Last Ride and it was SO GOOD! It gave me butterflies and got the tears flowing. Everything you would expect from Nicolas Sparks.

Dreaming About: Mexico!!! Justin and I are heading off to Isla Holbox in May for our last big vacation as a party of two. After moving in two weeks, a babymoon will be just what we need.

What items from your baby registry could you not live without?
Help! I have no idea what we need.

My husband decided I should get more creative with my preggo pictures and wear different attire to show off the belly. The black outfits were a little concealing, so he rummaged around the closet and picked this outfit, which is actually a really cute sports bra and running shorts from SOAS. Personally, I’m surprised he didn’t pick a bikini…I think he just likes when I show a little skin.

Baby is now the size of: A sweet potato… aka 7 oz of perfection ♥

Total weight gain: Have not weighed myself.

Maternity clothes / preferred attire: I’m starting to think that this will be the last week of “regular” clothes and skinny jeans, unless I start loosening buttons and wearing belly bands. While I have a lot of tops that can still be worn over my bump, the skinny jeans are getting pretty snug. There is probably no reason I should torture myself – time to find a cute pair of maternity jeans. Is it summer yet? I have a TON of clothes (maxi skirts) I can wear once the weather is warmer.

Food aversions: Cooked broccoli, spinach, and asparagus. Crab cakes. Anything at a buffet because the idea of eating food that has been sitting around collecting dust freaks me out.

Sleep: I have finally settled into a comfortable position on my side, with fluffy pillow against my back. It seems to be working for now, and when it stops working I’ll probably transition to the Snoogle. I am starting to dream a lot more and for some reason I keep dreaming about dinosaurs… that darn T-Rex always chasing me!

More recently, there have been a couple sleepless nights due to tooth pain and headache, which I talk more about later in this post.

Exercise: This was a great week of running for me and I was able to log 34 miles and one awesome race at the Salmon Run 10k. I experienced some minor round ligament pain here and there, and the need to pee a million times (minus the race), but otherwise all is feeling good.

This next week I plan to get out on my bike more as the weather is supposed to be ridiculously nice and sunny. Have to take advantage before I get to big to ride outside.

Mood: Happy!!! Until… Tuesday, when I started to experience some severe tooth pain that made me very agitated and upset. I was able to make a dental appointment for a root canal (so fun) but had to suffer for 48 hours with no pain medication. The mouth is already an extra sensitive area (not sure why this happens when pregnant) so the fact that I was battling a pissed off nerve was brutal.

I had a root canal yesterday evening and am happy to report that I am on the mend. It is going to be a few days before I feel back to normal, as my gums and tooth took a beating during the procedure, but at least the worst is over. The best part was coming home to a sweet card from my husband, a pot of homemade chicken noodle soup that he had prepared, and fro-yo. He even took my prescription to the pharmacy and waited for 30 minutes to have it filled while I rested/recovered on the couch.

Symptoms: Toothache and sensitive gums.

Missing: WINE!

Worst moments this week: My toothache kept me up ALL night on Tuesday. I literally got zero sleep, sat up watching the clock, and suffered slowly until morning. You know it’s bad when you are excited to get the Novocain shot!!!

Best moments this week: Running my first race with baby on board and feeling amazing the entire time.

Spending a couple nights in Eugene with my husband. He had a tourism conference to attend, so I tagged along and worked from the hotel room while he was in meetings all day. I did get a chance to do an 8-mile run along the Willamette River (simply gorgeous) and we were able to get together with some friends and see their new baby girl. It was a great little get-away.

Best Quote: “We could give birth to the baby on top of South Sister” – my husband

First off, I don’t think that the top of a 10,000ft volcanic mountain is an ideal place to give birth to a child. Second, what’s with this “we” giving birth? I’m pretty sure the baby is only going to come out of one of us!

Second Best Quote: “Or, we could be the first people to have a baby in outer space.” – also my husband

Whatever.

Interesting Pregnancy Moments: While my husband and I were watching the Masters, there was a golf commercial about Rory McIlroy that made me really teary-eyed and emotional. Even thinking about it still gets me choked up.

I’ve also noticed that my tolerance for having people in my personal space has decreased significantly. I get irritated really quickly when people – strangers in particular – stand too close, talk close in my face, or invade “my area.” The other night while listening to a friend play music at a local restaurant, I even faked a trip to the restroom just so I didn’t have to continue talking to a woman who was standing about six inches from my face. I just went into the bathroom, took a deep breath and waited a minute, then returned to the restaurant and strategically positioned myself on the other side of the table from her. Maybe it’s a natural instinct to avoid coming in contact with foreign substances, germs, etc.?

Buying: Garmin Heart Rate Monitor – my heart rate monitor bit the dust last week and I’m not about to run or race without one.

Dreaming About: The day I feel the baby move and what the experience is going to be like. Gas bubbles? Popcorn? Flickering? How will I know? Any day now…..

Our next ultrasound. We go in on Monday for a full-blown scan of the baby and all of his vital organs. My mom and Justin are going with me and I can’t wait to see my mom cry. She got all teary eyed when I asked her if she wanted to go, so I can only imagine the Costco-size box of Kleenex she will need during the appointment. So excited!!

I feel like I have doubled in size between weeks 15 and 17. If that’s the case, I can only imagine how I am going to feel in five, 10, or 20 more weeks!

Baby is now the size of: A turnip. 5 ounces and 5 inches in length. I don’t think I have ever had a turnip before. Pretty cute, huh?Total weight gain: 10 pounds and gaining.

Maternity clothes / preferred attire: This past week I have been living in capri tights and loose tops. Thankfully I work from home, so I can wear comfy cozies a majority of the time around the house.

Sleep: This was a rollercoaster week for me. It seems as though I sleep well every other night. I’ve become pretty paranoid about sleeping on my back because I was informed that the weight of the baby can put pressure on a vein that delivers blood to the heart, therefore decreasing the amount of important nutrients that reach the baby. Mind you, I typically sleep on my back about 95 percent of the time, so this change has really been a struggle. I’m hoping to experiment with pillows in the next week and figure out what works best. I also ordered a Snoogle, which is sort of like a body pillow that several people have recommended for better sleep during pregnancy.

Cravings and favorite foods: This week I was really craving hardboiled eggs, maybe because our fridge is filled with them and they are an easy snack. Cauliflower. Cereal. Coffee. Cheese. Apparently anything that begins with a “C”.

Exercise: The weather put a damper on outdoor riding, but I was able to ride on my trainer and watch Parenthood. Not a bad alternative at all.

Running is so awkward these days. Don’t get me wrong, I love it, but it is so weird to feel like I’m giving it my all but running at a pace that is sometimes as much as two minutes per mile slower than I am used to. I was able to complete my half marathon simulation run last Saturday in a time just under 2 hours, however I stopped on multiple occasions to use the bathroom. I guess until this time next year, slow and steady is going to win the race.

Mood: Mostly positive, with a minor speed bump of grumpiness over the weekend. Depending on who you ask, it was either justified (me) or an overreaction (Justin). ☺

Worst moment this week: The emotional black hole I fell into over the weekend. I was pretty fatigued and a little nauseated on and off after my long run on Saturday, which probably added fuel to my emotions.

Best moment this week: Easter festivities with the hubby. We spent an evening dyeing Easter Eggs. I made sure there were enough supplies in case the entire neighborhood decided to drop by. And soon after, many of them became yummy deviled eggs.

Interesting Pregnancy Moments: I’ve been trying on a few of my bikinis, trying to figure out what is going to fit when we take our trip to Mexico next month. For the first time, I think I finally acknowledged the fact that the girls are REALLY growing. As someone who has always had a fairly small chest, this has been quite a surprise. Wearing a bikini while pregnant might not be so bad after all.

I’ve also been getting really emotional anytime we are watching the Smithsonian Channel and some baby animal is getting chased or eaten by a predator.

Buying: My Maternity Stitch Fix arrived!!! I think I am going to keep everything but the vest. My husband says it makes me look like an old person going on a safari. Maybe I’ll do a little fashion show one of these days on the blog… when I am ready to wear maternity clothes, that is.

Dreaming About: Moving into our new house and getting started on the nursery. Also, a couple of my girlfriends are already getting excited about my baby shower (seriously, I have the best friends) and I’ve been considering the outdoor area of our new house for the location. Summer? Girlfriends? Outside? Yes, please!

Now that I am 16 weeks pregnant and finally starting to show signs of life in my stomach region, I thought it would be fun to document my experiences and changes over the next several months. I’ve seen a lot of other bloggers doing this recently (Julie, Tiffany, and Nicole) and thought it would be a good way to focus more on the present each week and the little things like food cravings and special moments that make this pregnancy of mine magical.

So yes, for a while at least this running, triathlon, adventure blog of mine is going to have some pregnancy related posts each week. Got to keep it real around here. And lets face it; this baby is now and forever will be a part of this running, biking, exploring lifestyle of mine!

Baby is now the size of: An avocado… a rather large one, in my opinion.

Total weight gain: 9 pounds

Maternity clothes / preferred attire: No maternity clothes yet! Somehow, I can still fit into my skinny jeans and normal clothes – but I have a feeling it won’t be long until I make the switch. And I’m not going to fight it, either. When it’s time to switch, it’s time to switch.

Sleep: Sleeping well. I get around 8 hours a night and usually have to get up once to pee around 4am.

Cravings and favorite foods: I constantly crave donuts and cannot walk out of a grocery store without buying one (or three). Anything protein – burgers, salmon, chicken, and eggs. Give me ALL the protein.

Food aversions: Broccoli and some Mexican Foods (I hope this changes before our trip to Mexico in May).

Exercise: Still continuing to run and bike 5 days a week. Averaging 7-8 miles per run (my long run this week was 11.5 miles) and 30 miles per ride. Biking feels really good and my heart rate stays consistently below 140.

Running is a little less predictable and I typically don’t know what to expect. Most of the time running feels good, but I have the occasional “blah” run. One of my friends, Nicole, has been really good at motivating me to get outside and get the legs moving. I run with her at least once a week and they are usually my favorite runs. Running with a friend is highly recommended!

Mood: Pretty much happy all the time. Excited for all of the changes ahead!

Missing: A large, cold turkey deli sandwich, wine, and hard efforts on the run and bike.

Worst moment this week: Eating two donuts and then instantly feeling horrible. It put me in a sugar coma and I felt bad for exposing the baby to my sugar needs. I send texts like this to my husband when bad things happen….

Interesting Pregnancy Moments: Yesterday, I had a quick memory lapse and when walking by a mirror did a double take of how big my stomach was. Oh yeah, that’s right, I’m pregnant. I also have been flip flopping words lately, using the opposite word for what I actually mean. For example, the other day I was telling my husband that I would just pour some water into my Gatorade to concentrate it, when obviously I meant to say dilute it. Just little things like that, which I don’t even realize I am doing until after the fact.

Best moment this week: Taking a road trip to the Painted Hills with my hubby. I’ll be expanding more on this experience in a separate post. A close second was my mom gawking at my baby bump when I changed into my cycling gear. Sometimes I think she is more emotional about all of this than I am. ☺

Dreaming About: What the little guy is going to look like. Justin and I pulled out some baby pictures and were trying to figure out what a combination of us would look like in male baby format. I think he is going to be super cute (if he gets his father’s looks). I wonder what we were looking at…

Hi, I’m Kristen. Thank you for stopping by. Follow me along my journey of becoming a faster runner, endurance triathlete, and world traveler. I’ll also mix in a few random musings, open up about life, and share my adventures around my hometown of Bend, Oregon.

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